Apparatus for measuring distances



H. E. ELY, JR.

APPARATUS FOR MEASUR|N G DISTANCES. APPLICATIGN FILED JUNE 24. 1918.

l 6 l 0., Patented Aug. 9, A921. j@ f.

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www 55W? Clttofmeif) H. E. ELY, Jn. APPARATUS FOR MEASURING DISTANCES.

APPLICATION FE'ED JUNE Z4. 1918.

Aug. 1921. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented l l I l i ||M NAA,

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EANSON E. ELY, JR., OF THE 'UNITED STATES NAVY.

APPARATUS FOR MEAS'URING DISTANCES.

Speccation of `Letters Patent.

Application filed .Tune 24, 1918. Serial No. 241,485.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, Lieut. HANsoN E. ELY, Jr., United States Navy, residing in the United States, a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Apparatus for Measuring Distances; and l do hereby declare the folfull, clear, and exact descripl `tion of the invention, such as will enable same'point on a ship,

y the aft operator Vquently will not base range nders i first, because,

others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

vMy invention relates to an apparatus for measuring distances, and more especially to a range finder for use in connection with war ships, fortifications, army field work and other places where it is desired to accurately measure and record distances.

The object of the invention primarily is to determine the range of a distant object in conducting modern warfare.

A further object is to provide an apparatus for measuring distances and also for recording the same.

Assuming a ship of war having a telescope or periscope mounted in the bow and one in the stern, the distance between which is known, both telescopes being trained on the target or other object, the angle between their lines of sight when applied to the bearing becomes the measure of the range.

A further object is the measurement of the above angle with the greatest degree of accuracy under all conditions which may arise.

A still further object is to provide an apparatus for the purpose stated which is simple, inexpensive and durable in construction, exceedingly easy to operate, the liability to get out of order of which is reduced to a minimum degree and which is reliable and effective in results produced. One of the principal advantages that my invention has over previous types of long is that almost perfect cooperation between the operators is assured; with the forward operator constantly on, the only requirement from the aft operator isv that he make the comparatively minor adjustments due to the actual change inthe range or bearing; secondly, because, if the forward operator is thrown off,

knows it at once and consemake any useless attempts to get a range, as the last range, moreover, is still approximately accurate and available for use.' Y

' idly rThe invention consists in the several features and in the construction, combination and arrangement of features as more Afully hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating an apparatus constituting one practical embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the operative mechanism of one of the telescopes.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged partly sectional view of the operative mechanism of the forward telescope;

Fig. 4: is an enlarged partly sectional view showing the wiring for the forward telescope; y

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the positions of the telescopes in determining range. v

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar parts throughout the several views, 1 and 2 represent two telescopes, preferably of the periscopic type, and which should be of exceedingly high power, at least 30 diameters, and the wires should be as small as it is possible to make them.

l have designated the telescopes as forward and aft telescopes respectively.

rlhe forward ytelescope 1 is mounted rigon a turntable 3 and the' aft telescope 2- is mounted on the shaft l of a-'sec'ondary training gear 5 in the form of a micrometer screw which inturn is secured to a turntable 6.

7 and 8 are two direct y'current shunt motors connected to the ships mains 9. Each motor drives an alternator 10, the leads of which go to the two stations, these leads connect with synchronous motors 11, 12, 13 and 1A, and each pair of these motors 11 and 12, for example, drives an epicyclic train 15, the resultant motion of which is zero when the motors are run at same speeds. The field 7a, however, being variable and under control of the operator of the forward telescope, Y

that operator can cause it to speed up or slow down, asl he desires, and as 7 speeds up or slows down the speed of the alternations from 10 varies, and the speed of the two motors 11 and 13 in step with the alternations of the alternator 10 also varies through being in synchronism, and their relative speed does not change. Thus as the speed of 11 and 13 changes with relation ratentea nag. e, mail.

to the speed of 12 and 14 similar resultant motion is produced the epicyclicn 'trains and the Yturntables The only possible chance for inaccuracy is' in lost motion, but, as thisis always to be in thesame direction on both tables, its elimination is notl difficult. 4

' The operation is as follows:

-. (Let: us suppose that the apparatus .is installed on board a ship of war, with the two telescopes and stations locatedone on the bow and the other onV the stern of the ship.

The motors, being supplied with squirrel cage windings'vto enable them to start with theloadtorque, are started and the telescopes placed on 'theirzero marks, predetermined and locked, which makes themabsolutely'parallel. The forward or main control operator of telescope 1 now moves the handle 16 of his controller, so weakening the field of motor 7 and strengthening that ofmotor- 8, which causes thev motor 7 to speedup and motor 8 to slow down, and

, results in an increase in frequency in alternator 10 and a lessening-or decrease in alternator 10a. This change causes equal in- .creases'inv'thespeed of 11 and 13 and correspondingly equal decrease in speed of .12 and V14- and the sameamount'ofm'ovement in each ofthe two telescopes l and 2.

targeta' Y 1 'The main -control operator thus jockeys his telescope 1,now speeding 7 and slowing up 8 and'now reversing the operation until predetermined spot on the he is on the The main control operatorV nowV flashes a A light'` to the otherfor secondary--controlsta- Vio tion to signify that he is on the'target, andv as long as this light continues Y.to show the operator at the aft or secondary control station or telescope 2 knows his Vco-worker to be on the predetermined spot.

, The sole commission of the aft'operator y ofl telescope y2 is to keep it bearing on the predetermined point, and thence to read the Vangle of displacement from his parallel position to telescope` 1. This angle is tele-I phoned to` the central station and is applied to ascale, curve or table in which the bearingof the target and the submitted sub-` tended angle arethe coordinates, and the range determined. v A

I do not wish to 'be understood as limiting myself to the specific details `of construcltion and arrangement as herein described t and illustrated, as it is manifest that varia- -tions and modications maybe made -in the :features of construction and arrangement in the adaptation of the device to the various f conditions ofusewithout departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and improvements. I, therefore, reserve the right to all such variations and modificationsV as properly fall within the scope of my invention and Ithe terms of the following claims. n I

What l claim is r 1. In an apparatus Vforrmeasuring distances, -a plurali-ty of pivotally' mounted sighting instruments adapted to be directed toward a target, means for connecting said.

instruments for moving them on their own axes in parallelismand means formoving one of said instruments out of parallelism with the other. f f

2. ln an apparatus for measuring distances, /a plurality'v of Ypivotally mounted vtances, a plurality offpivotally mounted sighting instruments adapted to be directed toward a target, means for connecting the said instruments fory simultaneously moving them on their own axes in parallelism, means for lpivotally adjusting one of said instru ments on its own axis, independently of the other instrument, means forv registering the degree of such adjustment Vand an Aaxially pivoted mount for `one of said in-IV struments.

1. In an. apparatus for' 'lmeasuriI-'igv dis-V 100 tances, a plurality ofV pivotally mounted vperiscopes adapted tobe directed toward a target, one of saidjperiscopes designated as a controlling periscope to point directly at the target and adjustablev independently of 105 the other periscope; .electrical ymeans. for connecting and operating the said periscopes in parallelism and a pivoted mount `within which the secondary periscope is axially mounted, said operating meansindirectly 110 connected to the through said mount. Y Y y 5. In an apparatus for measuring distances, a plurality ,of .pivotally'mounted Y v secondary periscope periscopes adapted'to bedirected toward a 115 target, one ofsaidl periscopes designated as a controlling periscope to. point directly at the target and provided `with a gear means for connecting and `moving the other or secondary perisco'pe in parallelism with 120 the controlling periscope, saidv secondary eriscope provided withf-a sleeve thereon aving a gear,.electrically operated ymeans indirectly connectedV tothe gear.V of ',.th'e secondaryperiscope by means of the Ysaid sleeve 125 mountedfthereon vand fdirectly connected to the gear' of .the controlling periscopre, and means for. registering the'degreeof adjustment of the second mentioned periscope.

6. In an apparatus for measuring dis- 130 tances, a plurality of pivotally mounted on, said electrically operated means conperiscopes adapted to he directed toward nected to the gear of the controlling peria target, one of said periscopes designated scope, and the sleeve of the secondary peri-v as a controlling periscope to point directly scope, and means Jfor registering the adat the target and provided with a gear justment ofthe secondary periscope.v thereon, electrically operated means for con- In testimony whereof, l have affixed my necting and moving the other or secondary signature.

periscope, said secondary periscope provided with a sleeve having a gear mounted there- HANSON E. ELY, Jn. 

